Saturday, August 29, 2015

Stories we're following

Brig. Gen. S.T. Ansell

Every once in a while it's useful to take stock and consider the changing list of stories that seem to be the most urgent. In no particular order, here are some of the salient issues currently on Global Military Justice Reform's radar:

Pakistan's military courts (to sunset in January 2017 unless the Constitution is amended again)

UN peacekeeper discipline in the Central African Republic and elsewhere

Sexual assault in the U.S. armed forces

Command-centric disposition power in the U.S.

Pending Canadian Supreme Court cases

Military court reform in Lebanon

Military Justice Review Group report (to be made public by the Pentagon -- but when?)

Chinese military justice reform

Colombian reform legislation under review by the Constitutional Court

Nigerian military justice in free-fall?

Agenda-setting by the UN's new special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers (will military justice reform and the Decaux Principles be given priority?)

Strongly suggest that the issue of “sexual misconduct” in the Canadian military be added to the stories to be followed. The Canadian military has yet to come to grips, in a real, clear and meaningful manner, with the sensible recommendations made by retired Madam Justice Marie Deschamps of the Supreme Court of Canada. This is a ‘front burner’ issue in Canada! An issue which will, once again, gather significant national media coverage (if and) when there is next another reported instance or incidence of sexual misconduct either at the Royal Military College (RMC) or elsewhere in the Canadian Forces. An issue which will also likely command national political attention when Parliament resumes operations in the wake of the October 19, 2015 General Election.